Improvement in mail-bags



A. P. CARNAGY.

Mail-Bag.

No. 210,994. Patented Dec. 17,1878.

UNITED STnTEs ALEXANDER P. CARNAGY, OF SUMMIT BRIDGE, DELAYVARE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAIL-BAGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,994, dated December 17, 1878; application filed November 27, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER P. CAR- NAGY, of Summit Bridge, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bags, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to an improvement in fastening devices for the mouths of that class of mail-bags having flaps provided with hasps for engaging with staples or other catches.

Its object is to clamp firmly together the opposite sides of the mouth of the bag, to facilitate the opening and closing thereof when the bag is unlocked.

Mailbags have heretofore been made with flaps folding over the mouth, and provided with a row of staples, which pass through eyelets in both lips of the mouth, a strap, chain, or bar being passed through the projecting staples and locked in position by various kinds of locks. "W hen a strap is used, it is easily cut or broken, permitting the staples to slip or be drawn out of the eyelets, affording access to the contents of the bag. A chain requires a large amount of time and trouble in passing it through the staples, and a bar, being necessarily separate and detached from the other parts, when the bag is unlocked is liable to be lost or displaced and to be bent out of shape, causing its insertion and removal from the staples to be very tedious and to occupy so much time as to render such a fastening impracticable for use where expedition is required in opening and closing mailbags-as, for instance, at way-stations of rail.- way, stage, and steamboat mail-routes.

The disadvantages of these old modes of fastening mail-bags are entirely overcome by my invention, which, to this end, consists, first, in a mail-bag having a row of eyelets coincident on opposite sides when the mouth of the bag is closed flat, and a projecting flap having attached to its surface an elastic bar or strip provided with a series of fingers or hooks adapted to pass through said eyelets when the flap is turned down upon the front of the mouth of the bag, whereby all the fingers or hooks may be inserted through or withdrawn from the eyelets simultaneously;

second, in providing a bag having the fastening devices above-named with a series of sockets on its rear side in proper position to receive and cover the ends of the fingers or hooks when the bag is closed; third, in the combination, in a mail-bag fastening, of a row of eyelets surrounding the upper portion or mouth of the bag, a bar secured to the flap of the bag and provided with projecting fingers or hooks and a hasp, and suit-able means for securing said hasp to the front of the bag.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective front view of the month end of a mail-bag provided with my improvement, the mouth being open. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same with the mouth closed and locked. Fig. 3 is a back view with the mouth-flap raised. Fig. 4 is a back view with the flap closed. Fig. 5 is a section on line m 50, Fig.

Fig. 6 is a section on line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 7

is a section on line 2: 2, Fig. 2.

The letter A indicates the mailbag, and B a flap, formed by an extension of side or wall thereof. G designates a row of eyelets, of

brass or other metal, firmly secured in the bag, near its upper edge, and at equal distances apart.

This row of eyelets extends entirely around the bag, and when the mouth is closed flat the eyelets on opposite sides thereof coincide. D is an elastic bar, firmly secured by rivets or otherwise to the outer surface of the flap B, a short distance from its transverse edge, and having a length equal to the width of the mouth of the bag. From the inner surface of this bar a series of hooks or bent figures, E,

project through the flap, standing out from its inner surface a sufficient distance to insure their passing respectively entirely through, and to project beyond the coincident eyelets 'when the mouth of the bag is closed fiat, and

the flap turned snugly down upon it, as shown in Figs. 2, at, and 5.

These hooks are firmly secured to the'bar D, and are at the same distance apart as the eyelets. Immediately above each eyelet, on the rear side of the bag, is firmly secured a socket, F, open toward the eyelet, but closed at its opposite end. These sockets are to receive the ends of the fingers or hooks when the mouth of the bag is closed, and said fingers or hooks are inserted through the eyelets,

and they prevent the fingers or hooks from catching on straps or looks of other bags or projections of other articles. They also protect said fingers or hooks from being bent outward, either intentionally or by accident. A hasp, Gr, projects at right angles from the bar D, and may be formed in one piece therewith or secured thereto by rivets. This hasp is adapted to fit over a staple, g, secured to the front of the bag, and be secured thereto by an ordinary mail-lock, or it may be adapted for engagement with a lock fixed to the bag after the manner of a trunkdock.

The letter J indicates a bow-spring, the convex surface of which is secured against the inner surface of the front side or wall of the bag by means of rivets or studs passing through longitudinal slots in said spring, or it may be secured in any other convenient manner which will not destroy or impair its resilience. This spring has a length equal to the width of the mouth of the bag, and its function is to force the front side of the mouth of the bag outward from the rear side, and thus automatically open the mouth for the reception or removal of mail matter when the bag is unlocked.

About the middle of the bar D, and to the front thereof, is secured a frame, H, the inner edges of which are rabbeted or undercut to permit a card to be slipped between said edges and the bar. Upon this card may be inscribed the name of the station or post-office atwhich the bag is to be opened or left in the route.

The upper bar or side of this frame is cut away on its under surface, so as to permit the insertion and removal of the cards, and behind this bar or side is arranged a flat bow-spring, h, the ends of which rest against the frame, and

' the convex or bowed portion against the bar D.

To the concave side of this spring is fixed a stud, i, which passes through a hole in the frame, and is provided with a head, by which it may be pulled out to raise the spring from the bar and permit a card to be removed or inserted. Normally this springstands in the path of the card, and prevents its accidental displacement and loss.

The bar D may be made of metal or of stiff leather, two or more thicknesses of which may be stitched or riveted together. When the bag is unlocked it is only necessary to take hold of one end of this bar and lift it in order to withdraw all the hooks or fingers from the eyelets at once, and by taking firm hold of the hasp, bending the flap, and forcing the upper edge of the bar D down upon the eyelets, the hooks will be caused to enter said eyelets simultaneously, thus greatly expediting the opening, closing, and exchange of mails.

I do not claim the metallic fiat spring for throwing open the mouth of the bag (shown in Fig. 6,) nor do I claim the frame for holding the card, as shown in Fig. 7, such features only being illustrated as desirable adjuncts to the bag, which may ormay not be used in connection with the bag.

Having now explained my invention, I claim 1. A mail-bag having a row of eyelets coinciding on opposite sides when the mouth of the bag is closed flat, and a projecting flap having attached to its surface an elastic bar or strip provided with a series of fingers or hooks adapted to pass through said eyelets when the flap is turned down upon the front of the mouth of the bag, substantially as described.

2. A mail-bag having a row of eyelets coinciding on opposite sides when the mouth of the bag is closed, a projecting flap having attached to its surface a bar provided with a series of fingers or hooks adapted to pass through the coincident eyelets when the flap is turned down upon the front of the mouth of the-bag, and a series of sockets secured to the rear surface of said bag and adapted to receive the ends of said fingers or hooks, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a mail-bag fastening, of the row of eyelets, the bar having the projecting hooks or fingers and hasp, and suitable means for securing said hasp to the front of the bag, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER P. GARNAGY;

Witnesses:

' JAMES L. NoRRIs,

J AS. A. RUTHERFORD. 

